Door structure for grain storage bins



y 1965 W. D. BEHLEN ETAL 3,184,805

DOOR STRUCTURE FOR GRAIN STORAGE BINS Filed June 27, 1962 //v l/EN roRs WALTER D. BEHLE/V HERBERT P BEA/LEN United States Patent 3,184,855 DOOR STRUCTURE 130R GRAN STGRAGE BENS Walter D. Behlen and Herbert P. Behlen, Columbus, Nebn, assignors to Behlen Manufacturing Company, Inc, Columbus, Nehru, a corporation of Nebraska Filed lune 27, 1962, Ser. No. 205,750 1 Claim. (CI. 20-69) Access must be gained to the common grain storage bins from time to time and the access openings have always presented problems to the fabricators of grain storage bins. Among these problems lies the task of creating a door structure that was strong enough to withstand the great pressures exerted thereon by the grain from time to time, and which at the same time would be easy and economical to operate and manufacture. Difiiculty has also been experienced in providing a door structure for grain storage bins that can effectively seal the access opening when the door structure is closed.

Therefore, a principal object of our invention is to provide a door structure for grain storage bins that will provide a strong door closure while at the same time being comprised or relatively lightweight material.

A further object of our invention is to provide a door structure for grain storage bins that will permit easy access into and from the interior of the storage bin whenever access is so required.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a door structure for grain storage bins that is simple to operate.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a door structure for grain storage bins that can be easily locked.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a door structure for grain storage bins which will provide a tight seal of the storage bin whenever moved to its closed position.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a door structure for grain storage bins which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Our invention consists in the construction, arrangements and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective viewof our device with the inner door slightly ajar and the outer door moved to a substantially open position;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of an access door and door opening which are associated with the inner door panel;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the access door and door opening in FIG. 2 when the access door and door opening are in a closed position;

FIG. 4 is a partial horizontal sectional view of our door structure showing the inner and outer door panels in a closed condition and showing the fastening means whereby the inner and outer door panels are secured together;

FIG. 5 is a partial horizontal sectional view of our door structure showing the inner and outer door panels in a closed condition and showing the hinge means whereby the inner and outer door panels are fastened to the bin walls;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fastening means which secures the inner and outer door panels together;

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of our device showing how the outer door panel is secured to the bin wall by means of a hinge element; and

"ice

FIG. 8 is an elevational View of a storage bin with our device mounted therein.

With reference to FIG. 8, wehave used the numeral 10 to generally designate a storage bin having cylindrical wall 12, base 14 and roof section 16 mounted on the top of the bin. An oval-shaped opening 17 is cut in the cylindrical wall 12 and a precast oval-shaped frame 18 is mounted therein. Frame 18 is a continuous cast construction and is T-shaped in cross section as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Frame 18 is comprised of a base flange 20 and oppositely disposed flanges 22 and 24 which extend at right angles from the inner end of base flange 20. Flange 22 extends outwardly from the interior of the bin 10 and flange 24 extends inwardly towards the interior of the bin. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the base flange 20 of frame 18 is placed adjacent the outer surface of the wall 12 around the perimeter of the oval-shaped opening 17 in the bin wall. The frame 18 can be secured to the wall in any convenient. manner and we have found that spot welding serves this purpose very well.

Outer door panel 26 is also oval-shaped and is complementary in shape to the oval configuration of the outwardly extending flange 22 of frame 18. Door panel 26 is secured to the bin wall 12 by means of binge elements 28. For purposes of simplicity, only one hinge element 23 has been shown and this is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7. Hinge element 28 includes a hinge portion 30 which is substantially straight and which is secured by one of its ends to one side edge portion of door panel 26. The connection between hinge portion 36 and door panel 26 can be accomplished in any convenient manner such as by spot welding, riveting or the like. Hinge portion 30 is secured by hinge pin 32 to a second hinge portion 34 which extends inwardly towards the bin Wall 12 and thence outwardlyfrom the center of the door in a tangential direction along the outer surface of the bin wall. Hinge portion 34 can be secured to bin wall 12 in any convenient fashion such as by the rivets 35 shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, and a rim 36 on the perimeter of outer door panel 26 extends inwardly towards the center of the bin and over the outer perimeter of the flange 22 on frame 18.

An inner door panel 3 8 has the same shape and is of the same size as the outer door panel 26. Inner door panel 38 is adapted to close the opening defined by the inwardly extending flange 24 of frame 18. Door panel 38 is secured to bin Wall 12 by means of hinge element 4%. Hinge element 40 includes the straight hinge portion 42 which is secured to one edge portion of door panel 38. The means of connection between hinge portion 42 and door panel 38 can be comprised of any convenient means such as riveting or spot welding. Hinge portion 42 is secured by means of hinge pin 44 to a second hinge portion 46 which extends outwardly towards the bin wall 12 and thence in a tangential direction adjacent the bin wall. The hinge portion 46 can be secured to the bin wall 12 by the same rivets 35 that secured hinge element 28 to the bin wall. Again, we have shown only a single hinge element for each of the door panels 26 and 38 but it is understood that two hinge elements of the type described are normally used to secure each of the door panels to the bin wall. A rim 48 extends outwardly from the perimeter of inner door panel 38 to embrace the outer perimeter of flange 24 on frame 18. The relationship between the door panels 26 and 33, and the frame 18 is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

A fastening element 5ft serves the function of selectively securing the door-panels 26 and 38 together at times. Fastening element 51) includes a hinge portion 52 which is secured to the outer surface of the inner door panel 38 by means of rivet-s, sheet metal screws, spot welding, or the like. Hinge portion 52 is preferably located on a horizontal plane passing substantially through the center of the inner door panel at the point adjacent the perimeter thereof and opposite to the location of the hinge element 44 Hinge portion 52 is pivotally connected by hinge pin 7 54- to a horizontally. disposed .L-shaped bracketso'. L shaped bracket 56 is comprised of a base portion 58 which is in alignment with the inner periphery of frame 18'when .the door panels 26' and 38 are in a closed condition. Base portion 58 terminates in an extended portion 60 which extends inwardly towards the center of frame 18 adjacent the inner surface of outer door panel 26. A flat eyelet 62 is rotatably secured to bearing means 64 and is adapted to rotate .about a horizontal axis; Bearing means 64 is a rigidly secured by screws 66 or the like to the outer surface ofextended portion 60 of L-shaped bracket 56. A verticalelongated slot 68 in outer door panel 26 is adapted to receive the eyelet 62 when the door panels 26 and 33 are position so that it cannot be withdrawn through the vertically disposed elongated slot 68. .The entire door structure can be effectively looked by allowing a padlock to be inserted through the eyelet 62 to insure that the eyelet cannot be rotated and passed through the elongated slot 68.

A circular access Opening 7! appears in the inner'door panel 38 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Anoutwardly extending rim 72. appears on the perimeter of the access opening 70.- Inner door element 74 has a shape substantially similar to access opening 70 and outer door element 76 has a shape identical to that of inner doorelement 74. The two door elements 74 and 76 are pivotal'ly securedtogether and are pivotally secured to inner door panel 38 by means ofpin 78 which r-otatably passes through the inner door panel at a point adjacent the perimeter of access opening 70. Pin, 80 also effects the connection between the door elements 74 and 76 but pin 80 serves to limit the downward pivotal movement of the two door elements by engaging the perimeter of the rim 72 when the twodoo-relements have been moved to a position to close the access opening 70. A handle element 82 is secured to the outer surface of outer door element 76 by means of these same pins 78 and 80. Aperturcs 84 and 86 in rim 72 and outer door element 76,

respectively, are adapted to register when the door el-e-.

moved to a closed position to close the access opening 1 '70 by pivoting the inner and outer door elements '74 and 76, respectively, in a downward direction. Thus, when the pin 80 engages the rim 72' at a point directly below the center of the access opening, the access opening will automatically be closedby the door elements '74 and 76, and the apertures 84 and 36 will be inalignment to .receive a pin 88 .Which can hold the auxiliary door in thisclosed position;

The inner door panel 38 can thereupon be pivoted on hinge element 40 to the closed position shown in FIGS. .4 and 5. Similarly, the outer door panel 26 can be pivoted to a closed position upon frame 18 as depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5. 'Sincethe- L-shaped bracket 56. on fastening element 56 is. adapted :for pivotal movement, it will not operatingjthe eyelet 62, in the manner described .above.

If it is desired tofintroduce; anauger tube into the bin,

V t the outer door. panel 26 can be unlocked by aligning eyelet 62 with the vertical slot 68 in theouter-door panel,

and the outer door panel can thereupon be moved to the open position shown in'FIG. :1.

the bin will maintain the inner door panel 38 in a closed Any grain stored within position upon frame 13 even though the outer door panel 26 has been movedto an open-position. Theauxiliary doorstructure comprised of inner door elements 74 and 76 can then be moved to theopen position shown in FIG. 2 and an anger means can be introduced through the access opening 7%) without'requiri n'g the movement of' the inner door panel 38 to an open position. a

The oval shape of frame 18 adds to'the over-all strength of our door structure. Since most storagebins are cylindrical in shape, the oval configuration of frame 18 is particularly applicable tosucha bin when positioned with its major axis in a vertical position and its minor axis'in a horizontal position. The importance of th s disposition of the frame 18 in the storage bin is that considerable size is given to the frame by virtue of its elongated and vertically'disposed major axispand the frame is easily adapted to the curvature ofthe bin walls by means of the narrow width'aiforded by the horizontal minor axis of the frame. Strength is given to thea-uxiliary door structure by virtue of the thickness presented by the inner door element74 and the outer door element 76. Simi larly, great strength is a'fit'orded'the entire door structure by the inner door panel38 and the outer door panel 26 which are reinforced by the relatively stronger oval Some changes may be'made in the construction and arrangement of our door structure for grain storage bins Without departing from the real spirit and purpose ofour invention, and it is'our intention to cover by our claims,

any'modifie'd forms of structure or use ofrmechanical equivalents whichmay'be reasonably included within their scope. V i

i We claim:

. In a door structure,

a supporting surface having an opening therein, 7 a frame secured to the periphery of said opening; a first door panel on the outside of said frame,

a second door panel on the inside of said frame, a hinge means on each of said door panels,

- connecting means connecting said hinges to said frame whereby said door panels can be pivotally moved with respect to said frame, 7

connecting means for securing said .doonpanels together when said door panels are in a positionof en- 'dcor elements, said firstand second, door'elements' being in a parallel spaced relationship with respect to each other; said firstdoor element being p-iv-otally secured to the outer, surface of said inner door; said second door element beingpivotally secured to the inner surface of said inner door;.-means, secured to said first and second. door elements to said door elements simultaneously, a

and means on said auxiliary door and said inner door to limit thev pivotal movement of said auxiliary door .with. respect t-o said access opening, said-ineanson:

said auxiliary door: comprised-of abolt passing p-iv otally move messes through said first and second door elements which 1,222,966 4/17 Matchette 23243.4

limits the opening and closing pivotal movements of 1,472,663 /23 Miller 39 said auxiliary door by engaging an edge of said ac- 1,794,069 2/31 Foss 232- cess opening. 2,101,550 12/37 Lambert et a1. 189-46 5 2,231,573 2/41 Etling 74-586 References Cited by the Examiner 2,717 053 9 Sylvan 39.415

UNITED STATES PATENTS T .1 933,617 9/09 B011 189 3 RLCHARD W. COOkE, IR., Primary Examiner. 1,194,787 8/16 Rudolph 220 33 JACOB L- NACKENOPF, Examiner- 

